DirectEmployers Blog
OFCCP Compliance
Senate Confirms EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas for Second Term
On Thursday, July 31st, the U.S. Senate confirmed Andrea Lucas for her second term as Acting Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in a vote of 52-45 (see full press release). Lucas was originally appointed by Trump in 2020 where she served as a...
Annual VEVRAA Hiring Benchmark Drops to 5.1%
Despite recently proposed changes, federal contractor requirements under the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) remain strictly in place. As part of the legislation, which requires applicable contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative...
Federal Contractors: VETS-4212 Report Portal Now Open Through September 30th
Beginning today, August 1, 2025, the VETS-4212 Portal is now open for applicable federal contractors to submit their annual VETS-4212 Reports. This requirement, set forth by the U.S. Department of Labor and Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS), is for...
Navigating the End of the Federal AI Moratorium: A Guide for Multi-State Employers on Emerging State AI Laws
The landscape of artificial intelligence regulation in employment has taken a turn. The recent Senate vote striking down the proposed 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation by an overwhelming 99-1 margin signals a clear message: states will continue to lead the...
OFCCP to Begin Processing VEVRAA & Section 503 Components of Open Compliance Reviews or Complaint Investigations
On July 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer announced Order 08-2025, formally lifting the temporary pause (abeyance) on the processing and enforcement of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and...
More States Enacting Pay Transparency Laws: What Employers in New Jersey & Vermont Need to Know
With the current emphasis on merit-based hiring and equal employment opportunity efforts, many states are enacting pay transparency laws to help even the playing field. Established to help encourage pay equity, these laws give job seekers an idea of the wage range for...
Compliance News | Trump Signs New Executive Order, ‘Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy’
On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order going after disparate impact liability under various titles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended by the Civil Rights Act of 1991. The Executive Order (Restoring Equality of Opportunity and...
U.S. Department of Labor Announces Catherine Eschbach as Director of OFCCP
The U.S. Department of Labor announced this afternoon that Appellate Attorney Catherine Eschbach has been appointed as the new Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). This announcement comes near the 90-day mark of the rescission of...
Maryland Judge Halts Enforcement of Trump’s Anti-DEI Executive Orders
A Baltimore judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction on Friday, February 21, that halted the enforcement of President Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders (EOs). Earlier this month, the city of Baltimore and higher education groups sued the Trump administration...
States Take Action Against DEI: Missouri v. Starbucks
On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, the State of Missouri sued Starbucks for violations of federal and state laws prohibiting race discrimination. In a statement regarding the lawsuit, Attorney General Andrew Bailey said, “[r]acism has no place in Missouri. [The State]...
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